Serena won despite suffering from illness, coughing badly and leaving the court to throw up at one point.

Serena said: "The match definitely got tough in the second set. Maria started playing a lot better. She started being a little more aggressive. I think I got a little more passive. Was just trying to get the ball back in play. But I also started serving better in the second set because I knew if I wasn't having my groundstrokes where I wanted them to be, I knew I could serve it out. So, yeah, it definitely got really interesting." postmatch interview

Maria said: "In the finish I definitely thought I could have put a few more serves in in the tiebreaker. Giving her many looks on the second serve. Even though they were good, deep second serves, she was ready. Aggressive. She hit a couple of winners. Then some of the service games where I had 15-30 or 30-All, she came up with really big serves, ones I sometimes couldn't get my reach at. Those you just have to let go and keep going." postmatch interview

Serena now leads Maria 17-2 in career matches; Maria's two wins both occurred in 2004. Their most recent meeting last year on a Laykold hardcourt in the semifinals at Miami, when Serena defeated Maria 6-4, 6-3.

Serena said: "I felt okay. As always, I had the jitters going out in the first match of a Grand Slam. It's never super easy to be the one that everyone wants to beat. So I always have to be a little bit above. But yeah, I felt okay. I definitely think I can improve a tremendous amount though." WTA story

n2 s2 Maria Sharapova RUS d n183 q Petra Martic CRO 6-4, 6-1 Mon

Maria driving a forehand

Maria said: "[Petra is] capable of playing very good tennis. She's been injured a little bit, I believe, in the last year or so, but she can play. She's got some big weapons. Against someone who's already played a few matches, I knew I had to be really strong." WTA story

Lucie said: "I was so nervous in the beginning. My hand was shaky. But I played one time against Ana before, at Wimbledon five years ago, and I had two match points, so my goal was if I had match point this time to finish it. And I'm so happy I did it this time." WTA story

Ana said: "I think the whole match I didn't really feel like myself out there. It was really tough to find my rhythm a little bit, and in the third set I really felt like she raised her level on the court. I played okay in the beginning, but in the second and third set I really dropped my level."

n6 s6 Agnieszka Radwanska POL d n43 Kurumi Nara JPN 6-3, 6-0 Tue

Aga's forehand drive

Aga said: "I think I really played well today. Maybe little bit slow start. Otherwise I think everything was working for me today. I'm very happy with my game." WTA story

n7 s7 Eugenie Bouchard CAN d n98 Anna-Lena Friedsam GER 6-2, 6-4 Mon

Genie serving

Genie had lost her only previous meeting with Anna-Lena. Genie said: "I knew I was going to be ready for someone kind of going for it, gunning for her shots, and that's what happened. At this stage it's about being ready for that. I know I was able to deal with it even when she was playing well. Whenever I had little chances I think I took them. Overall it was solid, I think." WTA story

Venus said: "I felt good out there. I felt like my serve was working, moving well, playing aggressive. [Maria-Teresa] and I had a really tough match at Wimbledon last year, and even from the first game she was just hitting the ball so hard. So obviously I was prepared for her to play well against me again. Thankfully I was able to break serve a few times and make it a little easier this time." WTA story

Vika has been plagued by injury for the past year. Victoria said: "I don't know if it's going to happen here or whenever, but I just want to work hard, and really have that mentality that that's what I want. Right now I'm just focused on my everyday job and trying to do it as best as possible." WTA story

Vera held three set points in the 1st set, but could not convert them. Serena said: "[At that point] things really clicked. I had no other option but for things to click. Yeah, I just had to start playing better." postmatch interview

While serving at 5-4 in the 3rd set, Alexandra held 2 match points. Maria saved both MPs, broke Alexandra's serve, held to love on her own serve, and broke Alexandra again to win the match.

Maria said: "I thought my thought process through the match to that point was pretty negative. I think I was dwelling too much on my mistakes, what I was doing wrong, not really being in the present, something that I'm really usually good at. At that point when you're behind and you feel like you're making a lot of errors, you don't feel like you have a good rhythm out there, I just really tried to take it a point at a time, think positively, and change my thought process a little bit." postmatch interview

n3 s3 Simona Halep ROU d n68 Jarmila Gajdosova AUS 6-2, 6-2 Wed

Simona's forehand drive

Simona said: "I played much better than first round tonight, so I'm happy with this. I am more aggressive and I served very well tonight. I played fast. I stayed very close to the baseline. She shows very strong on court. I felt her like big serve and big shots. But, you know, I was very, very fast on court, I think, and I opened the court very well. I did some good angles, and I just wanted to finish the points, like to make winners. So I did well tonight, and I'm really happy with the way how I play now." postmatch interview

n4 s4 Petra Kvitova CZE d n40 Mona Barthel GER 6-2, 6-4 Thu

Petra following a forehand

n6 s6 Agnieszka Radwanska POL d n73 Johanna Larsson SWE 6-0, 6-1 Thu

Aga's forehand drive

Agnieszka said: "I think it was great match. I really start well. I play aggressive from the beginning to the end. And well, short, good match. So, you know, it's better, especially that it's really hot today. Be fresh for the next one." postmatch interview

n7 s7 Eugenie Bouchard CAN d n70 Kiki Bertens NED 6-0, 6-3 Wed

Genie fielding a backhand

Genie said: "I think I put pressure on her a lot and I think probably forced her to make some errors. I was happy with the way I was able to step in and control the, points, whether I did the winner or she did the error. In the end I think that's how I want to play." postmatch interview

Victoria has spent much of the past year recovering from injury. Vika said: "I think it was a very good match, very high quality. I'm happy with the way I stayed consistent throughout the whole match. I think there's always things you can improve, but it's a great progress from one match to another. I just want to keep trying to stay in that path and continue to grow, continue to improve." postmatch interview

Caro said: "[Victoria] played better than me today and hats off to that. I just need to go back and work hard. Early, still beginning of the year. So still have 10 months to make up for this. Hopefully it's still going to be a good year." postmatch interview

Venus said: "[Lauren] actually hits the ball quite powerfully and she's very aggressive. I think she played even more aggressively than when we played in Auckland. I think maybe her strategy was to try and take control of the points. So I had to play some defense as well as some offense today." WTA story

Coco said: "I was a little bit nervous. But we were talking about the first match I played against Schiavone, I was super nervous the whole match. My coach was talking about, 'We don't train for you to be nervous out on the court, and to potentially lose a match because of nerves. So play like you can make every shot and play like you own this court out here.' That's what I was thinking when I was playing out there. I enjoyed my time. So I had a lot of fun." postmatch interview

Samantha said: "I think she obviously had a great night out on the court tonight. I mean, there's not that much to say. It came down to a couple points. I don't feel like I played a bad match at all by any means. It was maybe just, yeah, a couple of points on my serve to go down a break each time and that was it. I didn't get a breakpoint. I didn't feel like I did much wrong." postmatch interview

Asked why she had a slow start, Serena said: "I'm not sure. I need to figure that out. Well, my next match I'm just going to have a longer warmup, more intense warmup. But as long as I was able to come through today, I can always have an opportunity for tomorrow." postmatch interview

n2 s2 Maria Sharapova RUS d n31 s31 Zarina Diyas KAZ 6-1, 6-1 Fri

Maria's forehand drive

Maria had narrowly avoided defeat in her previous match. Maria said: "I think I rebounded really well. I had a good hit yesterday. Just kind of thought a little bit about what I wanted to try to achieve tonight... I thought I did a good job of focusing well. Yeah, [Zarina] can be a tough, tough player to play against if you give her the time to change down the line like she likes to do, step down and hit flat, low. So she has that capability, and if you give her the time, she'll do it." postmatch interview

n3 s3 Simona Halep ROU d n258 sr52 B Mattek-Sands USA 6-4, 7-5 Fri

Simona driving a forehand

Simona said: "I played well today, better than the second round, so this thing is good. She was very strong and I just wanted to play my game, but, you know, it was a great, great match for both of us. I was hitting aggressive and I stayed very close to the baseline. I served well. So I'm happy with my game now." postmatch interview

*n33 Madison Keys USA d n4 s4 Petra Kvitova CZE 6-4, 7-5 Sat

Madison after match point

Madison said: "I just tried to stay solid, and consistently keep doing what I was trying to do. Then that last game, you know, I just went out and just kept telling myself to make my first serve, and I did. So really happy I was able to pull out that win." postmatch interview

Agnieszka said: "I think it was a very good match. I start very well. I play really aggressive and I was really serving good and returning good. In the second set, of course I could finish that set much earlier. Serving against the sun is not fun. But I'm just very happy that I could close that set and just win." postmatch interview

n7 s7 Eugenie Bouchard CAN d n36 Caroline Garcia FRA 7-5, 6-0 Fri

Genie serving

Genie said: "I wasn't playing great tennis in the first. I feel like she was putting some pressure on me and I really didn't feel like I got a rhythm. But I'm happy that I just kept going. Even if it wasn't going so well, I was able to turn it around." postmatch interview

Venus said: "[Camila] played amazing. Thought she played awesome and just so aggressive. Everything was working for her. I've never played her before, so it's challenging to get a rhythm against her. It's challenging to know what the exact plays are. As the match went on I think I was able to get a little bit more settled and figure that out a little bit. But she played great. Just kind of kept trying to get games on my board so hopefully I would get an opening at some point." postmatch interview

Victoria said: "I'm just happy that I managed to go through my matches. There are things that obviously I want to improve. But, you know, it's a progress. It's one step closer. So I'm happy I have another opportunity to play Monday." postmatch interview

*n84 Madison Brengle USA d n37 Coco Vandeweghe USA 6-3, 6-2 Sat

Madison fielding a forehand

Madison said: "I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do out there today... We just worked on a couple things yesterday when I went out to practice... I wanted to do everything I could to not let her play so much in a rhythm. Tried to work on that. It ended up working well today." postmatch interview

Garbine had defeated Serena in their previous meeting, in the 2nd round at Roland Garros last year. Serena said: "[Garbine] made me play a lot better. I had to play the best match of the tournament or else I was going to be out. I think she was just hitting winners like left and right. Every shot I hit, she basically hit a winner on. So I had to change my approach. I was hitting a little bit too much to her." postmatch interview

Garbi said: "The level was very high, the most high level... I really started playing really good... At the end I was feeling more tired, and my shots weren't as good as the first set. I just think she also started to play better. Serve was very important for her." postmatch interview

n2 s2 Maria Sharapova RUS d n21 s21 Shuai Peng CHN 6-3, 6-0 Sun

Shuai and Maria serving

Maria said: "I lost against Peng in my career before and I knew I had to start off the match really well. I think I did. I played solid. I don't think I did anything spectacular, but felt that I was consistent. I served smart at times. I returned quite well. I think that really helped me. I think I won the right points at the right time and ultimately won the match." postmatch interview

n3 s3 Simona Halep ROU d n79 Yanina Wickmayer BEL 6-4, 6-2 Sun

Simona driving a backhand

Simona said: "A lot of confidence I have now because I didn't lose a set. I had good matches here in first week, so I'm really happy that I'm in second week now like last year. Here I started to play my best tennis in Grand Slams. So means a lot for me. I really have more confidence now to play the quarterfinals." postmatch interview

Venus was broken in the 1st game of the final set, then won the next six. Venus said: "In the third set I was trying to get back to the form that I was in in the first set. I didn't do a lot wrong in that first game. It was just overhit some, missed an easy one that would have definitely helped my cause. It was frustrating but I stayed focused and I wanted to just continue playing like I did in the first game because it was really the right way to play." postmatch interview

Aga said: "[Venus] was very consistent. Returning very well. I was putting first serve [in] pretty much all the time, and everything was going back. She really had answer for everything today." postmatch interview

Genie led 6-1, 3-0 before dropping the 2nd set. Genie said: "I think I started being a bit less aggressive, a bit too passive, and you know, that's not my game at all. I don't do well when that happens. She could string together a few good points here and there, hit some good shots and serves and got some confidence in the second set. You know, that helped her. So definitely disappointing. But I learned a lot from it and I'll try to make sure it doesn't happen next time." postmatch interview

n10 s10 Ekaterina Makarova RUS d n71 Julia Goerges GER 6-3, 6-2 Sun

Kate driving a backhand

Kate said: "I'm so happy that I'm showing my good tennis here and already in the quarter; third time here in Australian Open. So I'm so happy that I beat today Julia. She's tough opponent. She's in great shape. She played great her matches. So I'm happy that I came through." postmatch interview

Dominika said: "Today was extremely, extremely good match from my side. I would say it was a high level of tennis. The first set, the way I played, was just really, really -- no mistakes. I was going for my shots and I was just doing the right things. I was really putting her under so much pressure. And then -- then she stepped up in the second set much more. She started to serve better and return better. So she kept me out of the -- more behind the baseline. Then in the third set I just knew I have to go for it more than hundred percent. I knew I have to be much more aggressive and just stay there and to go for my shots. So, yeah, today was really, really tough one, but I managed to get through. It was such a good match." postmatch interview

Victoria said: "There was some good quality of tennis today, even though the result is not the one that I wanted and not what I was looking for. But I need to be realistic a little bit and keep working hard and try to sharpen my game. I need to be more consistent and I need to be able to take my opportunities when I have them. But overall, I can be pretty happy. But I'm such a perfectionist that I don't want to be satisfied." postmatch interview

n33 Madison Keys USA d n84 Madison Brengle USA 6-2, 6-4 Mon

Madison Keys serving

Madison Keys said: "There's definitely the high of winning and beating Kvitova and everything, and then having to kind of refocus, regroup, and go into another match, a match where, you know, I was a higher-ranked player, I should have won. So it was a different pressure and it was different nerves. But, you know, I think I managed pretty well." postmatch interview

Serena has been suffering from respiratory illness, but it did not seem to affect her play.

Serena said: "I have to keep my answers short because I keep coughing... It already feels like a long season already, so many matches in a row [Serena is 9-1 for the year so far]. But it's a great start. Hopefully I'll be able to keep this level up." ESPN story

Domi said: "[Serena] playing really well today, I have to say. She was putting so much pressure from the serve and return. I didn't have a chance to play my game. Just felt under so much pressure. It was a good day for her." postmatch interview

About playing Madison Keys in the semifinals, Serena said: "I think [Madison] likes the surface. I'm just happy to be in the semis, and whatever happens, an American will be in the final."

n2 s2 Maria Sharapova RUS d n7 s7 Eugenie Bouchard CAN 6-3, 6-2 Tue

Genie following a forehand, and Maria driving a backhand

Maria said: "I felt pretty good from the start. I thought I had a really good start. I kept my focus throughout the whole match. I didn't feel that I had too many letdowns, which is important. When I did have a few slips I was able to come out with great first serves or really powerful returns. But overall really happy with the way the match went." postmatch interview

Genie said: "[Maria] definitely played well today and she didn't give me many chances. I know I could have done better for sure, so I'm disappointed with that, with... not taking the few chances I got here and there. Against great players, you have to take every little chance you can get. Although she didn't give me many, I know I had some. Disappointed I couldn't do better with those." postmatch interview

About playing Ekatarina Makarova in the semifinals, Maria said: "I haven't faced a lefty in this tournament yet. She's been using her lefty serve extremely well from what I've seen. But I'll be looking out for that, work on a few things tomorrow, and be ready for that match."

*n10 s10 Ekaterina Makarova RUS d n3 s3 Simona Halep ROU 6-4, 6-0 Tue

Simona and Kate driving forehands

Kate said: "[Simona] doesn't miss a lot, so every point we had really tough one and really long one. I tried to be more aggressive more to win this point because she never miss and she never give up. So I tried to stay solid and to keep my game." postmatch interview

Simona said: "[Kate] played well and everything was in for her. So she deserves this winning. I'm really sad a little bit now that I could not play my tennis, my game, but that's tennis and I have to look forward to the next tournament." postmatch interview

*n33 Madison Keys USA d n18 s18 Venus Williams USA 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 Wed

Venus and Madison delivering forehands

Madison won despite playing with a left adductor muscle strain which required treatment during a 2nd set medical time out. She had the same injury at Wimbledon last year.

Madison said: "I felt it since the beginning. It's been tight, but it's been something that with some treatment it's been fine. Then one shot in the match, all of a sudden I felt it kind of really get tight. I thought I was close to pulling it... I ignored it at Wimbledon, and tore it, which ultimately made me have to withdraw. At that moment it was kind of a panic of, I need to get some tape on this so I don't do that again... It still hurts. Definitely going to be getting some treatment on that. Hoping I can get it as good as possible for tomorrow." postmatch interview

Venus said: "I definitely didn't serve as consistently as I wanted to. I felt like just not as aggressive off the ground as I would have liked. So I think in this kind of match you have to be aggressive. Like I said, I give a lot of credit to her because she really set her points up. She was swinging freely. Most of them went in for her. So it was great for her." postmatch interview

After winning the 1st set tiebreak, Serena raced to a 5-1 lead in the 2nd, but was then unable to dispatch Madison until the 9th match point.

Serena said: "I was impressed by [Madison's] ability to stay in the match. She never let up at all till the end. I think that is a really great quality to have... I think I was able to serve big when I needed to. So that really helped me out a lot." postmatch interview

Madison said: "I'm really happy to have gotten this far in a tournament. It's my first one. Just looking forward to having more... [Serena] played really well. She served really well. It was pretty much impossible for me to break her serve. So great job to her today." postmatch interview

About playing Maria Sharapova in the final, Serena said: "Maria is playing great. She's in the tournament only because she's a fighter and only because she refuses to give up. So it's a new match. She has nothing to lose, once again. She has only things to gain.
"And I feel that way, too... I've won this tournament several times. I don't have to go out there and have another title. I want it, but it's not life or death for me. I think that helps me he relax. So she absolutely has nothing to lose, and I have nothing to lose, so it will be fun."

n2 s2 Maria Sharapova RUS d n10 s10 Ekaterina Makarova RUS 6-3, 6-2

Maria following a backhand, Kate driving a forehand, and Maria after match point

Maria said: "I thought I played solid. I did everything I had to do. I wasn't afraid for it to become a physical match. I think it was important to really stand my ground in the first few games, which I did well, even though I was behind, especially the first and second one. Those key moments are really important. Definitely happy I was able to win really solid today." postmatch interview

Kate said: "Of course I'm a little bit upset that I lost. But she's a great champion and she been so many times in this situation, in this round. She won so many Grand Slams. I was a little bit too nervous maybe... Definitely from this match I take much more experience than was from US Open [semifinal last year]." postmatch interview

Maria has a 2-16 record against her final opponent, Serena Williams. Maria said: "[Serena is] great at making players hit that shot that you don't necessarily have to go for. You know, maybe going for a little too much, going on the line. It's been a really difficult matchup for me, but I am a competitor. If I do play her, I will go out and I will do everything I can to try to change that result around."

(May 30, 2007) The Rebound Ace courts used since 1988 for the Australian Open and the events leading up to it will be replaced, beginning in 2008, by a less cushioned surface created by the US company Plexipave, called Plexicushion, which will be installed by Aussie company William Loud. WTA story

Because of the travel involved, the Australian had always been number four on the Grand Slam ladder. But it had been a solid number four. In 1974 Jimmy Connors won his first Grand Slam Title there. That same year, Evonne Goolagong beat Chris Evert in the women's final. A year later, the finals were Newcombe over Connors, and Goolagong over Martina Navratilova.
But it was getting tougher and tougher to get the players to make the trip to Australia around the Christmas holidays, which was when the tournament was held. Guarantees were beginning to push player income so high that the top players saw no reason to make the trip. Bjorn Borg never played the Australian after 1974. Connors hasn't been back since 1975. Evert didn't go for six straight years after her loss to Goolagong, and Navratilova skipped four years after her loss to Goolagong.
The tournament deteriorated quickly. Kooyong, the venerable Melbourne tennis club where the tournament was held, was a badly outdated facility. It was overcrowded and the grass was not in good shape. In fact, many players complained that on one side of center court you were actually running uphill to get to the net.
In 1978 Chris O'Neil beat Betsy Nagelsen in the women's final. The next year Barbara Jordan beat Sharon Walsh. None of these four players ever came close to a Grand Slam final again...

Philippe Chatrier, the ITF president, was extremely concerned about what he saw in Australia. He had fallen in love with the country on his first trip there as a young sportswriter in 1956. Chatrier knew that the Australian had become a Grand Slam in name only. Brian Tobin, the president of Tennis Australia, knew that, too.

...The women had upgraded their half of the tournament in the early eighties by splitting from the men. Chatrier and Tobin together convinced the Men's Tennis Council [the MTC, which controlled men's pro tennis before the ATP] to move the tournament to the last week in November. That helped a little. Then came the matter of talking the women into going back to the old two-week format.
"The women weren't too keen on that," Tobin said. "By 1980 the top women like Chrissie and Martina were coming here again and they were doing quite well on their own. But we knew to be a true Grand Slam again, we had to be a two-week tournament."
There were still major problems. Not only was Kooyong an awful facility for a major championship, it was costing Tennis Australia $1 million a year to rent. A new facility was desperately needed, but that would cost, according to estimates, $40 million. Tennis Australia just didn't have that kind of money.

...Sitting at his desk one morning, Tobin saw a small story in the paper, which noted that the government of Victoria--the state in which Melbourne is located--was looking for a site to build a new entertainment center. Tobin called John Cain, the premier of Victoria, and asked for a meeting. Perhaps there was some way for the government and Tennis Australia to build a facility together.
Cain was interested but there was an obvious problem. Grand Slam tennis tournaments were played outdoors; most entertainment events were staged indoors. It was Cain who came up with the solution. "Why not build it with a roof that opens?" he suggested.
The rest, as they say, is history.
The land chosen to build the National Tennis Center was Flinders Park... only five minutes from the heart of Melbourne... ground was broken early in 1986. (The projected cost... was about $70 million. Before it was done, the cost was more than $100 million.)

...They studied the other three Grand Slam facilities to try to figure out how to build the best possible venue... "We studied the U.S. Open site in order to see what not to do," Tobin said, laughing. They also proposed another date change to the MTC, asking that the tournament be moved to mid-January...

The MTC approved the calendar change. The last Australian Open at Kooyong was played in January 1987, and when the tennis world arrived in Melbourne the following January, it was clear that the Australian had arrived as a Grand Slam. The stadium seated fifteen thousand, with excellent sight lines everywhere. Most of the seats were in the shade, which helped even on the days when the heat was most unbearable. The women's final that year was completed with the roof closed, when it started to rain after the match had begun. The locker rooms were the roomiest in the world. The walkways were wide, and there were two ministadiums that served as courts 1 and 2. Chatrier called it "the tennis stadium of the twenty-first century."
With the new dates, everyone came to play. Steffi Graf started her Grand Slam by beating Chris Evert in the women's final... In 1990, Channel 7 would be on the air for about 120 hours during the two-week tournament.
Most of the country would be watching most of the time.